An excerpt from "A Prayer for Owen Meany", for my sweetie...
"I want you to meet him," she said to us all.
"You've dated him?" my grandmother asked.
"No! I just met him-just today, on today's train!" my mother said.
"And already you like him?" Lydia asked, in a tone of voice so perfectly copied from my grandmother that I had to look to see which one of them was speaking.
"Well, yes," my mother said seriously. "You know such things. You don't need that much time."
"How many times have you known such things-before?" my grandmother asked.
"This is the first time, really," my mother said. "That's why I know."
----
For those of you romantics, you must watch the movie "Before Sunrise." This excerpt, reminds me of that movie as well.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Blink | Malcolm Gladwell
Blink is one of those novels that has either been classified as brilliance or sheer and utter rubbish. To figure out which category you're going to fall in, has a lot to do with your expectations.
If you expect an 'answer' or something definitive to come out of this novel, you're going to hate it. If you look for holes inside the book, you're going to find them.
These holes exists in some of the ways experiments were conducted, in my opinion. Even if you see these holes and don't agree with his example, you must
also look at the point Gladwell is trying to make. He makes some excellent ones. After you notice the point, see if you can apply it to your own situations and see if it makes sense to you - if it sounds right, if it feels right. After all, the book is about making snap judgements.
The one thing I really liked about this book is that it reads like a story. There is a lot of quasi-scientific information in it... which is great for pyschologists, but it is put in a very layman sort of way. It's also important to note that Gladwell writes very unstructured. If you are looking for something akin the the brilliant mathmatical structure of Sun Tzu in "The Art of War", you won't find it.
However, despite some rambling, the points are excellent if not taken at face value. You need to really think about the meaning behind these points and see if it makes sense to you. To me, it did. Gladwell re-inforces a lot of things that I have always thought, and along the way... he has taught me a lot about how certain things in the world work (ie: how a police officer is supposed to approach you when he pulls you over, how concert violinists audition, etc). However, if you think he's going to unlock the secrets of the universe, you're going to be disappointed. But he will make you think twice about your unconscious mind and about the power of intuition.
If you expect an 'answer' or something definitive to come out of this novel, you're going to hate it. If you look for holes inside the book, you're going to find them.
These holes exists in some of the ways experiments were conducted, in my opinion. Even if you see these holes and don't agree with his example, you must
also look at the point Gladwell is trying to make. He makes some excellent ones. After you notice the point, see if you can apply it to your own situations and see if it makes sense to you - if it sounds right, if it feels right. After all, the book is about making snap judgements.The one thing I really liked about this book is that it reads like a story. There is a lot of quasi-scientific information in it... which is great for pyschologists, but it is put in a very layman sort of way. It's also important to note that Gladwell writes very unstructured. If you are looking for something akin the the brilliant mathmatical structure of Sun Tzu in "The Art of War", you won't find it.
However, despite some rambling, the points are excellent if not taken at face value. You need to really think about the meaning behind these points and see if it makes sense to you. To me, it did. Gladwell re-inforces a lot of things that I have always thought, and along the way... he has taught me a lot about how certain things in the world work (ie: how a police officer is supposed to approach you when he pulls you over, how concert violinists audition, etc). However, if you think he's going to unlock the secrets of the universe, you're going to be disappointed. But he will make you think twice about your unconscious mind and about the power of intuition.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Books in 2007
I've actually been doing none-too-bad, this year considering the chaos with both work and school (I have an assignment due tomorrow, even). I have to read books at my own pace right now though, and consequently have not been to the last two book club meetings... but I'm a little ahead of my goal of one book a month (yes, I read slowly and am very busy)!
Anyhow, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like summarizing something! Today, I am in that mood. So, without further ado... the list of books I have read this year.
1. Shadow of the Giant (Orson Scott Card)
2. You Remind me of Me (Dan Chaon)
3. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (Hunter S. Thompson)
4. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
5. Darkness Visible (William Golding)
6. To Have and Have Not (Ernest Hemingway)
Wow, summaries make you feel good... don't they? Here are some details for those of you who are debating reading some of these novels.
Shadow of the Giant
Last book in the Ender's Game fantasy series, which won both the Hugo award and Nebula award. I never thought I'd be a big fan of fantasy writing, but these books are tremendously enjoyable (see January post for summary of all books in the series). Ender's Game is the first novel, and it's about a child that is pushed through military school at such a rate that he is nearly destroyed, so he can save the human race. If you ever give sci-fi/fantasy a chance there are only three things you need to remember: Asimov (Foundation series), Tolkien (Lord of the Rings series) and Card (Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow series).
You Remind me of Me
A story about a physically and psychologically scarred boy who goes in search of his long-lost brother, and ends up stalking him and his family. Interesting, but the story lacks passion, despite being a heartfelt plot. You probably have better ways of spending your time.
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Warning: this book is not for everyone. To sum it up, this book is based on a real life episode of the author, who goes to Vegas in search of the American Dream. The reporter, who is covering a racing story, and his lawyer end up doing enough drugs to kill a small town in the course of a few days. This book is all about their experiences. Fascinating and hilarious. But again, this book is not for everyone.
The Kite Runner
This is an outstandingly heartfelt and intriguing book about a boy who witnesses the rape of his best friend and does nothing to stop it. It's placed in Afghanistan and has little windows into the culture and political changes in the nation. However, it is not a book about politics or war. It is a novel about longing: the longing for a father's love, the longing for punishment for guilty actions, and the longing for home. I absolutely loved this novel... well worth the read.
Darkness Visible
This novel was all over the place, and looking back to April when I read it... not a lot has stuck. It's a novel by the author of Lord of the Flies, and it deals with terrorism and listening to 'the darkness.' The novel jumps around with themes, and ends up not making a profound point or connecting with the reader. A sub-theme involves a scarred young man who ends up hearing a higher power and going about to do his will. I guess the book is about people who listen to that higher power and do good or evil things with it. I wouldn't recommend it... I think Golding bit off a little more than he could chew.
To Have and Have Not
This book is about a Cuban fisherman who lends credit to a client who leaves the country, skipping on his large bill. This puts the Cuban, Harry, into financial troubles... as he becomes another Cuban struggling to pay the bills to keep his family alive. He resorts to illegal acts - booze smuggling & running Cubans to Florida. It's another Hemingway struggle for existence, and it's done so beautifully that you may never want to read another author's novel again until you've read everything Hemingway's ever written.
Anyhow, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like summarizing something! Today, I am in that mood. So, without further ado... the list of books I have read this year.
1. Shadow of the Giant (Orson Scott Card)
2. You Remind me of Me (Dan Chaon)
3. Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (Hunter S. Thompson)
4. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
5. Darkness Visible (William Golding)
6. To Have and Have Not (Ernest Hemingway)
Wow, summaries make you feel good... don't they? Here are some details for those of you who are debating reading some of these novels.
Shadow of the Giant
Last book in the Ender's Game fantasy series, which won both the Hugo award and Nebula award. I never thought I'd be a big fan of fantasy writing, but these books are tremendously enjoyable (see January post for summary of all books in the series). Ender's Game is the first novel, and it's about a child that is pushed through military school at such a rate that he is nearly destroyed, so he can save the human race. If you ever give sci-fi/fantasy a chance there are only three things you need to remember: Asimov (Foundation series), Tolkien (Lord of the Rings series) and Card (Ender's Game/Ender's Shadow series).
You Remind me of Me
A story about a physically and psychologically scarred boy who goes in search of his long-lost brother, and ends up stalking him and his family. Interesting, but the story lacks passion, despite being a heartfelt plot. You probably have better ways of spending your time.
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas
Warning: this book is not for everyone. To sum it up, this book is based on a real life episode of the author, who goes to Vegas in search of the American Dream. The reporter, who is covering a racing story, and his lawyer end up doing enough drugs to kill a small town in the course of a few days. This book is all about their experiences. Fascinating and hilarious. But again, this book is not for everyone.
The Kite Runner
This is an outstandingly heartfelt and intriguing book about a boy who witnesses the rape of his best friend and does nothing to stop it. It's placed in Afghanistan and has little windows into the culture and political changes in the nation. However, it is not a book about politics or war. It is a novel about longing: the longing for a father's love, the longing for punishment for guilty actions, and the longing for home. I absolutely loved this novel... well worth the read.
Darkness Visible
This novel was all over the place, and looking back to April when I read it... not a lot has stuck. It's a novel by the author of Lord of the Flies, and it deals with terrorism and listening to 'the darkness.' The novel jumps around with themes, and ends up not making a profound point or connecting with the reader. A sub-theme involves a scarred young man who ends up hearing a higher power and going about to do his will. I guess the book is about people who listen to that higher power and do good or evil things with it. I wouldn't recommend it... I think Golding bit off a little more than he could chew.
To Have and Have Not
This book is about a Cuban fisherman who lends credit to a client who leaves the country, skipping on his large bill. This puts the Cuban, Harry, into financial troubles... as he becomes another Cuban struggling to pay the bills to keep his family alive. He resorts to illegal acts - booze smuggling & running Cubans to Florida. It's another Hemingway struggle for existence, and it's done so beautifully that you may never want to read another author's novel again until you've read everything Hemingway's ever written.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
To Have and Have Not | Ernest Hemingway
There is something that connects me to Ernest Hemingway, that is difficult to explain. He has a quiet way of portraying an emotional honesty that makes you fall in love with people. His characters, like all people... hide. But, he has a way of showing you what is hidden within themselves.
That's what I love of people. They struggle through tremendous hardships, and a lot of the time cannot express what they feel... but there are times when some of it just leaks out. If you're perceptive enough, you can see it - and you can't help but be moved.
Here's an excerpt... from a fat, old, uneducated woman about her not-stereotypically beautiful husband. This woman is someone you would walk by on the street and possibly not think anything of, or even be put off by her appearance (as one character is, later in the novel).
"He went to sleep with the stump of his arm out wide on the pillow, and she lay for a long time looking at him. She could see his face in the street light through the window. I'm lucky, she was thinking.
Those girls. They don't know what they'll get. I know what I've got and what I've had. I've been a lucky woman. Him saying like a loggerhead. I'm glad it was a arm and not a leg. I wouldn't like him to have lost a leg. Why'd he have to lose that arm? It's funny though, I don't mind it. Anything about him I don't mind. I've been a lucky woman. There ain't no other men like that. People ain't never tried them don't know. I've had plenty of them. I've been lucky to have him. Do you suppose those turtles feel like we do? Do you supposed all the time they feel like that? Or do you suppose it hurts the she? I think of the damndest things. Look at him, sleeping just like a baby. I better stay awake so as to call him. Christ, I could do that all night if a man was built that way. I'd like to do it and never sleep. Never, never, no, never. No, Never, never, never. Well, think of that, will you. Me at my age. I ain't old. He said I was still good. Forty-five ain't old. I'm two years older than him. Look at him sleep. Look at him asleep there like a kid."
Later:
"You know I lay awake almost four hours just thinking about you."
"You're some old woman."
"I can think about you any time and get excited."
"Well, we got to fill this gas now," Harry told her.
--------
Not sure if it comes across without the context, but the whole thought process of the woman really touched me. If you heard Harry's thoughts, they're different... but still of love.
Anyway, I strongly suggest reading some Hemingway if you can. "To Have and Have Not" is a gem, although not widely known. For a widely known gem, read "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Pure beauty.
That's what I love of people. They struggle through tremendous hardships, and a lot of the time cannot express what they feel... but there are times when some of it just leaks out. If you're perceptive enough, you can see it - and you can't help but be moved.
Here's an excerpt... from a fat, old, uneducated woman about her not-stereotypically beautiful husband. This woman is someone you would walk by on the street and possibly not think anything of, or even be put off by her appearance (as one character is, later in the novel).
"He went to sleep with the stump of his arm out wide on the pillow, and she lay for a long time looking at him. She could see his face in the street light through the window. I'm lucky, she was thinking.
Those girls. They don't know what they'll get. I know what I've got and what I've had. I've been a lucky woman. Him saying like a loggerhead. I'm glad it was a arm and not a leg. I wouldn't like him to have lost a leg. Why'd he have to lose that arm? It's funny though, I don't mind it. Anything about him I don't mind. I've been a lucky woman. There ain't no other men like that. People ain't never tried them don't know. I've had plenty of them. I've been lucky to have him. Do you suppose those turtles feel like we do? Do you supposed all the time they feel like that? Or do you suppose it hurts the she? I think of the damndest things. Look at him, sleeping just like a baby. I better stay awake so as to call him. Christ, I could do that all night if a man was built that way. I'd like to do it and never sleep. Never, never, no, never. No, Never, never, never. Well, think of that, will you. Me at my age. I ain't old. He said I was still good. Forty-five ain't old. I'm two years older than him. Look at him sleep. Look at him asleep there like a kid."Later:
"You know I lay awake almost four hours just thinking about you."
"You're some old woman."
"I can think about you any time and get excited."
"Well, we got to fill this gas now," Harry told her.
--------
Not sure if it comes across without the context, but the whole thought process of the woman really touched me. If you heard Harry's thoughts, they're different... but still of love.
Anyway, I strongly suggest reading some Hemingway if you can. "To Have and Have Not" is a gem, although not widely known. For a widely known gem, read "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Pure beauty.
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